Florida Voters to Go to Polls Again to Decide on Medical Marijuana

Two years ago medical marijuana legalization in Florida seemed like a sure thing. Polls had support at over 80% at the beginning of 2014; by the time the election rolled around only 58% voted in favor (the measure needed 60% of the votes to pass as a constitutional amendment).

United for Care – the group behind the efforts in 2014 – is back again, shooting for 60% on Election Day. They are confident of success this time for several reasons: a Presidential election year is likely to bring better and younger voter turnout, they have the experience of 2014 and can learn from their mistakes and a medical marijuana industry is already starting to sprout up thanks to the legislature passing a CBD-only law and a law allowing medical cannabis for terminally ill patients.

John Morgan, the Orlando lawyer who is the major financial force behind United for Care, has decided to take a quitter approach to things this time around. "I believe that you have to learn from the past, and last time I think that the {2014} bus tour was good at that time, but I don't think it would be good for this time," Morgan said. "I just think it's better to have this time a more cerebral discussion than a rock-and-roll tour."

While Morgan has put up quite a bit of money this go around, so has the opposition; the ultimate killer of the 2014 measure – Sheldon Adelson – is back again and putting up big bucks as well.

The bottom line is that both sides have millions of dollars to spend and a lot is at stake. People with epilepsy, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, cancer, glaucoma, HIV, AIDS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Crohn's disease, Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis are counting on access to a safer alternative to the deadly, addictive drugs they are forced to take by their doctors.